Europe s most wanted
by DancingStar01
Summary: After the wedding of thier parents ends in tragedy, Lindsay, Kate, Sue and "their" men follow their mother on a Mediterranean cruise. Pairing: C/L, J/S, R/K; CHAPTER 2 Aired
1. Chapter 1

Title: Europe´s most wanted Part 1/2  
Author: Dancing Star  
Crossover: PSI Factor / Sue Thomas FBEye / Castle  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay, Jack / Sue, Rick / Kate  
Rating: 12  
Category: AU, Romance, Humor  
Triple Crossover: After the wedding of their parents ends in tragedy, Lindsay, Kate, Sue and their "men" follow their mom on a Mediterranean cruise.  
Notes: In this cute story Lindsay, Sue and Kate are (almost) sisters. But that's the purpose of an alternative universe story. Here we should also have the possibility to select triple crossovers.  
Nevertheless, I hope you like this sweet summer FanFiction.

**Europe´s most wanted Part 1**

"I can´t believe our mother will get married today," Lindsay said to her younger sister, Sue, and she nodded. The two and their accompaniments Connor and Jack were waiting for the wedding couple in front of the town hall. At the age of 65 years, her mother Clara had decided to get married again. She was left alone for a long time after the father of her now adult daughters had died in a car accident twenty years ago. His family kept busy with his death for a long time: After the fatal car accident of her husband, Clara hadn´t left the house for weeks. Lindsay and Sue also fell into mourning. To Sue it was almost the worst: her father was the one who had always told her she shouldn´t waste her life. That he was gone suddenly, was like a slap in the face for her.  
"May I take a picture of you two?", Connor asked, who took a look at the display of his digital camera. Jack handed Sue her bouquet and smiled at her.  
"That would be very nice of you," Lindsay replied, stepped next to her sister and they both smiled at the camera. A black Mercedes stopped in front of the city hall and Kate Beckett, Rick Castle and an older woman got out. The woman was Clara, Lindsay´s and Sue's mother.  
"Hello, my two. Nice to see you, "Clara was happy. She was wearing a fancy costume and a hat. In her hands she held a bouquet of lilies.  
"Hey, you look great, Mom," Sue promised her mother.  
"You too, dear," Clara was delighted she had persuade her two daughters and Kate, the daughter of her future husband, to wear the same lilac dress and being her bridesmaids. And she was glad that her three girls didn´t come alone, but accompanied, to their wedding.  
Lindsay had invited her colleagues Connor. She wasn´t sure if it wasn´t better to invite her colleague Peter, but he had already made plans for this weekend and when she heard the news, Lindsay decided she would ask Connor.  
Sue usually lived in Washington DC and had also brought along a colleague from the FBI. His name was Jack Hudson and her mother immediately saw what was going on: Sue was obviously in love with her colleague and of course she denied everything when her mother asked her. It was forbidden. If someone ever discovered she had various feelings for Jack, then they would have to work in another department immediately and they couldn´t work together.  
The third member was Kate, who lived in New York City. Her colleague, the renowned author Richard Castle, had forced her, more or less, to take him with her to her family. It was the wedding of her father James and although she was still attached to her mother, she was relieved that at least he had kept going. So he fell in love with Clara three years ago. They had met on a cruise and immediately liked each other. Their families first met at Christmas two years ago and Kate met Clara's daughters Lindsay and Sue. Both were barely older than her and later Kate found out Sue was deaf. She thought it was impressive Sue didn´t hide in a snail, but was working with the FBI. And she seemed to like her job.  
"Connor, give me the camera," Clara now demanded and reached out to the device, "Get next to Lindsay and the others, then I take a picture of you."  
"Thank you," Connor gave her his camera, went quickly up the few steps to Lindsay and then stood beside her. He put an arm around her waist and while the six people grinned into the camera, Clara took the picture of them.  
"Very nice," she said, "I have a feeling that today is a good day."  
"Where is my dad?", Kate asked a little worried. Another car was coming down the street. It was another black Mercedes whose bonnet was decorated with some flowers.  
"Here he comes," Rick said to her and smiled. She only noticed half how Lindsay asked Connor if they wanted to enter the building. Kate´s whole attention belonged to the black car of her father, which now also stopped in front of the city hall and he got out. But something was wrong. His face had a strange, tense expression and with the left hand James Beckett suddenly reached for his heart. "Dad!", Kate carelessly dropped her bouquet, gathered her lilac dress a bit and ran as fast as she could to her father. He leaned on the fender of his car and hunkered down. "He has a heart attack," she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. Her father has never had a heart attack.  
"I'm calling an ambulance", Rick reached for his cell phone immediately, while Clara also knelt beside her future husband.

They spent the rest of the day in the hospital instead of at the registry office and then at a fancy restaurant. Outside it was dark and Kate still sat with her almost- sisters and her almost-stepmother in the waiting room of the intensive care unit. The clock above the door told them it was only five minutes to 11:00 p.m. Rick sat down beside her and handed her a cup of coffee. She couldn´t say more than just a simple "thank you". Her father was in danger and the doctors were still trying to help him. Meanwhile, Kate had taken off her high heels and would have given everything for comfortable shoes and to get rid of this dress.  
"He'll make it," Rick said to her suddenly and she tried to nod.  
Kate watched that Sue and her colleague Jack stared helplessly around. Lindsay had joined her mother, who ran restlessly up and down the hallway and questioned every doctor who even came slightly in the direction of the operating rooms. Connor meanwhile tried to get a candy bar.  
"He has never had a heart attack," Kate told him, "That was the first time... at least the first time that I know." After her dad had collapsed outside the town hall today, Connor took the control about James´ car without hesitation and he drove James, Kate and Clara to the hospital. Rick, Sue, Jack and Lindsay followed in the second Mercedes. Otherwise, they would have to wait half an hour for an ambulance: As it turned out, there was a traffic jam on the highway, but they could avoid this thanks to Clara's local knowledge. The problem was that Kate had found a glycerol-spray, heart tablets and a warfarin Pass while driving in her father's car. So she assumed that her father knew about his condition. She wondered why he never told neither her, nor his future wife Clara.  
From the corner of her eye she noticed a figure in a blue overall: The figure came directly from the operating room and the doctor put a cap from his head and broke free of his mouth guard. He comforting reached for Clara´s hand and looked pretty disappointed.  
Kate knew what that meant.  
And just like Clara, who broke into tears now, she felt as if she would fall into a deep hole.

James Beckett was buried nearly one week later in the town in Ohio, where he and his beloved Clara wanted to live.  
Throughout the day, Kate felt numb and she knew her almost-stepmother didn´t feel much better. After the funeral, Sue and Lindsay took care about the guests in Clara's house. Both were glad they had the support of Jack, Connor and Rick. "Grandmother, would you like more tea?", Sue wanted to know from her grandma, as Kate walked through the door. The 88- year old woman shook her head gratefully, hugging her granddaughter again and then limped off with her walking stick.  
"Kate, can we do something for you?", Lindsay asked when she put some used coffee cups in the dishwasher.  
"No," in a trance Kate shook her head. She didn´t notice how Rick and Lindsay were watching her anxiously. Kate decided to drive back to the hotel, where she was staying since one week. Her almost-sisters and their accompaniments lived in a hotel since one week, too, and had extended their vacations because they felt they couldn´t leave Clara alone during this difficult time.  
"Kate, I'll take you to the hotel," Rick offered and hastily grabbed for the keys of his car. While Kate was also looking for her purse in the hallway, she discovered a DVD case on a table. The plastic case was labeled with the wedding date of Clara and James. Of course, Kate knew what was on the DVD: She, Sue and Lindsay had met a few weeks ago to prepare a wedding movie for Clara and James with video footages from the past. After James had died none of them dared even to touch the movie. That the film was now the only option to see her father broke Kate´s heart. "I'm ready," Kate finally said to Rick, he opened the door for her and they left the house together.

Kate slept until evening in her hotel room and she only awoke when her cell phone beside her on the bedside table rang impatiently. It was Sue, who asked her to quickly get to Clara's house. So Kate hurried, to Rick´s room, getting him out of this, so he´d take her again to the house of her almost-stepmother.  
It was night, when Connor and Lindsay arrived at Clara´s house. "Hi," Sue said, as she picked up her sister at the front door and led her and Connor to Jack, Kate and Rick who were waiting at the living room.  
"Better you sit down," Sue suggested and Connor and Lindsay looked at her uncertainly.  
"Is everything all right?", Lindsay asked. She looked at Kate's face, but she also shook her head because she had no idea what was going on.  
"Please sit down," Sue repeated and after everybody had sat down, Sue went to a small box, which stood on the mantelpiece. "That's what I found today when I cleaned up. Mom was at the travel agency this morning and bought a ticket for a Mediterranean cruise." She handed them the ticket.  
"She met dad on a Mediterranean cruise," Kate recalled. And if she wasn´t mistaken, she had even given him the fateful ticket. Two weeks later he came back from Europe and told about Clara, beaming.  
"This is...", Rick was desperately looking for a suitable word, "...I mean, can she do that?"  
"I don´t know a reason why she can´t do it," Jack thought, then he turned to Sue, "What time is the flight?"  
Sue looked at the ticket. "Tomorrow afternoon. It starts at the airport in Cleveland and she´ll fly from there to an island called La Palma. From there she travels with a ship called AIDA . What do we do now?", Sue looked at them, hoping someone had a good idea. According to the voucher, her mother hadn´t any travel insurance. If they prevented Clara was doing that journey tomorrow, then her mother had loused more than three thousand dollars. For nothing.  
"I have an idea," Rick said to them and sat on the small coffee table, "Why don´t we just come with your mother?"  
"That's a good idea," Sue agreed, "But we can´t afford that..."  
"Don´t worry, I'll take it," he promised them.  
"I can´t: I don´t have so much days off" , Kate protested. There had to be another way, to protect Clara from doing irrational acts.  
"I´ll talk to Captain Montgomery," Rick suggested.  
"So, this is madness!", Kate scolded and jumped from her seat on the couch. Sue and Lindsay looked a little confused. Rick seemed to want to help her and they didn´t understand why Kate refused.  
"Well, we could tell our mother she shouldn´t fly to Europe...", Sue suggested, but of course she didn´t mean it that way.  
"That's a good idea," Kate agreed to her, "Sue is the only normal in this house!" As she said this, she watched Jack and Connor helplessly.  
"Listen to me now," Lindsay said and held Kate by the arms, "Go to the hotel and pack your suitcase. We will meet tomorrow afternoon at the airport in Cleveland. I won´t let my mother travel to Europe alone and possibly getting into trouble." Lindsay took a deep breath then turned to Jack and Connor. "I hope you don´t mind to come with us...", she said and to her relief, both were willing to come to Europe with them.

"I don´t understand," Kate murmured, when Rick stopped his black Mercedes in front of the hotel. "My father died one week ago. How can all just think about vacation?" She bit perplexed at her index finger and shook her head.  
"You have heard Lindsay," Rick recalled, "She and her sister don´t want to leave alone their mother in Europe... I am also sure Clara is grieving for James. And Lindsay and Sue as well."  
"What about Alexis and your mother?", Kate then asked, turning to him, "Aren´t they worried if you are away for so long?"  
"Don´t panic. The two know where I am and that they can reach me at every time", Rick said and threw a look now at the back seat of his car, "And just in case the muse kisses me and duty calls, I have my laptop always with me", he paused. "That's the great thing about this job: You can work everywhere."  
Kate also took a look at the laptop.  
"I'll pick you up tomorrow after breakfast. I hope you´ve packed your suitcase until then."  
Kate nodded as she got out and then went to her room in the darkness. Gladly she would have thanked him that he hadn´t left her alone in the last week, but she didn´t find the right words.

The plane landed after a nine-hour flight on a Canary island called La Palma, where they were immediately taken to their ship. "Where will we go now?", Rick asked enthusiastically and read the travel guide. Jack accidentally read the same brochure: "It says our next destination is a one-day stay on Tenerife. There, you can choose between a visit at Loro Parque and a trip to a volcano."  
"Great," Kate muttered unenthusiastic. She had drawn dark sunglasses in her face, so no one would see her eyes rings from jetlag.  
"It also says you have to book the trips at the arrival on the ship," Jack gave the brochure to Connor, "I ´d like to see the Loro Parque."  
"It's a zoo," Kate hissed and turned around to face them, "This is something for kids." She sat one row in front of Jack and Sue in the bus that would take them to the ship. Jack didn´t understand the reason for her bad mood. And because Sue wanted to see the animals in the park, too, the two decided to choose this tourist attraction. "What about you two?", Jack wanted to know then. Connor and Lindsay sat in the row next to Jack and Sue. "We haven´t decided yet," Connor replied quickly, although this was not true. On the summit of the volcano Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, were cold temperatures and because neither he nor Lindsay wanted to see that, they also tended to the zoo. In addition, the first born in Spain Orcas lived in the Loro Parque.  
"Mom, what about you?", Sue asked her mother, "What do you want?"  
"I'll stay on the ship," Clara told to her, "Have fun on the island." For the rest of the ride to the ship none of them spoke a word. The cruise ship brought them from La Palma to Tenerife and there, most passengers were accommodated into the north to Loro Parque and the volcano. Kate also wasn´t in the mood for a trip, but Rick formally forced her come with him to the volcano whose summit they climbed by cable car. "Why are we here?", she asked peevishly.  
"You said you don´t want to see the zoo and this is something for kids," he frantically said. He thought of Connor, Lindsay, Jack and Sue, who were great entertained in the Orca show for sure and then fed some parrots. Rick didn´t want Kate to spend the journey in her cabin and hid like her almost-stepmother. That he had forced her to this trip was purely a safety measure. Unfortunately it didn´t work...

They met on the evening of their one-day stay in Tenerife back on board and Sue showed Kate the yield of souvenirs, which she had bought at Loro Parque and during a short shopping trip to a nearby town. "This is a fake Louis Vuitton bag," Kate cried shocked and checked the bag in green-brown leather, "This is something you can´t import into the United States." The Policewoman in her came to life. Kate had almost feared she had forgotten her in Ohio.  
"Relax," Sue suggested, "I can´t afford the originals. Moreover, it is just a bag." Sue knew very well she sounded like Rick, but the bag was for herself. Kate was still shocked and didn´t talk to Sue during the whole dinner and Sue showed them the photos from the zoo on her camera.  
They worried a little about Clara, who refused to come to dinner and Kate had almost the same fate if Rick hadn´t forced her to come along.  
After one day, the ship reached the Straits of Gibraltar, where the continents of Europe and Africa were almost touching. Two days later at sea, they reached the Spanish city of Barcelona.  
The cruise ship anchored in the harbor and most of the passengers went ashore to see the city center. At the moment Lindsay and Sue were trying to lure their mother from her cabin.  
"Mom, please come out of your cabin," Sue cried and knocked again on the door impatiently. Because she was deaf, she couldn´t tell if her mother responded. For this purpose she needed Jack's help: "What does she say?"  
Jack listened for a while. "She says we should have a nice day."  
"Mom, you can´t stay in there forever!", Sue called again and this time Jack shrugged, because Clara didn´t answer.  
"What shall we do?", Sue didn´t only think about all the wonderful experiences her mother had missed, but also the wasted money, which this cruise had cost.  
The stay in Barcelona was quite short: They did a city tour, ate at a restaurant near the harbor and Lindsay bought a card at a kiosk. The same day the cruise ship left the port of Barcelona and continued its route to the north.

The next morning, as the ship had reached Monaco, Lindsay entered Connors cabin. "May I come aboard?", Lindsay asked.  
"You already are", Connor replied.  
"Are you seasick?", Lindsay wanted to know after she noticed his poor face and he immediately put back to bed, "I thought you were in the Navy. How can you get seasick?"  
"I don´t know," he admitted, "It's been a long time since I was on such a large ship." Connor watched as she grabbed a chair and sat on it. "You're lucky that I'm here... I thought to myself, laughing is healthy", she opened a dark blue paper bag, "I picked up our Barcelona Photos from the drugstore market on board. There are some great shots." She handed him a stack of photos. It showed some of the animals they had pictured at Loro Parque on Tenerife and some churches of Barcelona. Then there was a group photo which was ruined: Connor handed the camera to another tourist, which should take a picture of them in front of the Casa Mila in Barcelona. For an unknown reason, the tourist had photographed only their feet. In a second photo, he had cut off their heads in half.  
"Why are you showing me this?", Connor asked.  
"Laughter is healthy, I said that," Lindsay repeated, "And you better recover. We're going out tonight."

Rick had decided to visit Clara in her cabin: He asked her if she wanted to take a short walk on deck, but Clara refused. Instead, she offered him a cup of tea and he should drink it with her on the balcony of her outside cabin. She was already out and prepared a snack, as Rick noticed a check on her dresser.  
"Clara, what is this?", he asked. She saw how he looked at the check. That she donated the princely sum of $ 50,000 to a children's charity, after all, wasn´t every day´s business. "This is the money that James had left me," she told him, "I have donated every penny to a children's village in Africa... Now, how can I help you? You didn´t only come to ask me for a walk... " She believed that Rick hadn´t come without motives.  
"We want to see the city tonight," he finally said, "And we want you to come along."  
"Oh no," Clara shook her head, "Adventure is something for young people."  
"What?," Rick didn´t understand, "Clara, you haven´t booked these expensive cruise to spend all the time in your cabin..."  
"That's my problem," Clara hissed, "And now please leave."  
Rick reluctantly left her cabin and went to Kate. Probably she also didn´t want to go out tonight with her sisters. Sue and Lindsay walked hurriedly past him. "I don´t have a dress for a night out in Monaco", Sue tried to apologize. Sue was pretty, but it was a difference between going out in Washington, or in Monaco.  
"That's no problem," Lindsay promised, "I have a dress in my suitcase, what fits you."  
Sue nodded gratefully and of course she knew that Lindsay had noticed how excited she was. She and Jack were never out together. That her sisters and their colleagues also came along didn´t help her: Sue felt watched even more. She was even more excited when Lindsay helped her in the evening to get in the tight red dress and helped her with doing her hair. "Relax, all right?", Lindsay placed a reassuring hand on her sisters´ shoulder and Sue could see her in the mirror. She tried to smile, but she knew that it wouldn´t work.

At night they met before the cruise ship where a black limousine was waiting. Lindsay smiled as she noticed Jack's face when he saw Sue. She walked quickly past the two, but turned back to them before she grabbed Connor's arm. Jack stood in front of Sue and held her hands. "You look fantastic", Jack muttered and Sue smiled. The red dress made her long blonde hair shine even more and brought her body to perfection.  
"Thank you."  
Rick called out to them they should get into the limousine. They were the last two people and the driver closed the door behind them. "Wait. We are completed?", Sue asked, puzzled. It wasn´t a surprise her mother didn´t want to come along but where was Kate?  
"Yes, I know. Kate doesn´t want to come, but I told her where she can find us", Rick apologized. The driver took them to a fancy club. Their plans to have dinner and then going to a casino had changed. Thanks to Rick's celebrity status, they passed the queue and were able to enter the club immediately. He hadn´t believed it would work in Europe: he was known in America and because of his publisher he knew that so far only the Derrick Storm series was released on the European book market, with limited success. The pre-orders for the Nikki Heat series shot through the roof, however.  
A European singer was the star guest at the club today and guests danced to his music. Rick suggested they should first find a table in the VIP area. The waiter came up to them and told them all the drinks were on the house tonight. Rick thanked him and after they had been drinking, Lindsay and Sue excused for a moment.  
"I know what your problem is," Rick told Jack and he was excited to hear what Rick thought he knew about him.

"...This is something I can´t possibly say to Sue," Jack cried and he didn´t know if he was horrified or worse. Ricks tips to win a woman´s heart were terrible: He had made a suggestion to him, what he should say to Sue, but Jack wasn´t thrilled about the idea. This silly saying he might say if he was a warhorse like Rick, but Jack was too polite.  
"If you want to hear my opinion," Connor began, who had also heard the saying, "Then don´t say this." He saw Sue, who sat down at the bar alone and another man immediately sat next to her. "You'd better hurry," Connor suggested and Jack turned around. He also saw the unknown man who had sat down beside Sue. So he made his way to her: Jack hurried down the stairs that led to the VIP area and when he reached the bar, he sat down between Sue and a woman who sat next to her and talked to the bartender. He touched her shoulder and she seemed relieved when she saw him.  
"Is everything all right?", he asked, and he nearly had a guilty conscience.  
"Glad you're here," she replied, "I don´t understand a word of what he says. He only speaks French." From the corner of her eye she saw Lindsay, who was back in the VIP area and Sue suggested going there.  
She got up and the Frenchman didn´t seem to like: He grabbed his full beer glass, poured the drink and took off. Jack pushed Sue aside to absorb the shock, but Sue stumbled and fell. Some club guests jumped horrified aside.  
Connor and Rick noticed the fight and immediately rushed to help Jack. The Frenchman started a brawl and Jack wanted to defend Sue, when suddenly a group of large, muscular men appeared and dragged each of them out. Even Rick and Connor were carried out of the club. Lindsay followed.  
Outside the club the muscle giants dropped them down. "Are you hurt?", Lindsay asked anxiously, Connor and Rick shook heads. Jack's right sleeve of his jacket was torn and Sue limped because her knee hurt. She probably got this injury during the fall.  
"Fortunately, we haven´t been arrested," Connor said. The police had come anyway because they had to ask the man who had started the brawl.  
"We are banned for life in Moon Club", Rick corrected him and Connor smiled inwardly: He never got banned somewhere. Eventually he could tell his children someday (if he would ever have kids) that he owed to the famous author Richard Castle and the FBI agent Jack Hudson, that he was banned for life in Moon Club in Monaco.  
"What's going on?", Asked a puzzled voice behind them and they turned around.  
"Beckett… um, Kate?", Rick was surprised she was here. She wore a black, short dress and a longer jacket. Her brown curly hair was tied to a ponytail.  
Kate saw how Connor helped Jack to place Sue back into the limo. He wanted to talk to the police, who had arrived. Rick had told him the police spoke only French, but maybe there was an exception.  
"So why did you start a fight?", Kate wanted to know then. However, she had to admit neither Rick nor Connor looked as if they had got into a brawl. Jack was currently the only one who looked like this, but he took care about Sue.  
After Connor had left them alone, Jack took the ice cubes from the ice bucket in the car, put them in a cloth and pressed it gently onto Sue´s knee. She winced.  
"I recommend you less active sports in the near future," Jack said to her and she nodded. She tried to smile, but the pain was too great.  
"Don´t worry, I'll be careful," Jack told her and pressed the ice pack now on the other side of her knee. This was less painful.  
"With what?", Sue then asked while she slid a few inches to the rear on the car seat to escape the cold ice on her knee.  
For a second Jack thought if he should actually use Ricks saying. But instead, he shook his head. "Nothing. Forget it."  
The door to the limousine opened and Rick, Kate, Connor and Lindsay came in. "I'm sorry you got dressed up for nothing", Rick apologized to Kate. But he found this wasn´t a big thing for her. She was always looking very nice.  
"We should have something to eat," Lindsay suggested and everybody agreed. Sue also did. She was still sitting next to Jack and her hand slowly reached for his. She held him until the car finally slowed before an expensive restaurant.

_I feel it, you feel it that this was meant to be _  
_I know it, you know it that you were made for me _  
_We can´t deny this any longer, day by day it's getting stronger _  
_I want it, you want it, it's what the people want to see _  
_We're like Romeo and Juliet _  
_Fact leaves fate to find us _  
_Like the tallest mountain on the widest sea _  
_Nothing's big enough to hide us _  
_When we make love it's overwhelming _  
_I just touch the heavens You're an angel, you're an angel _  
_I said this world, this world could leave us any day _  
_But my love for you, it will never go away _  
_And I don´t wanna go to sleep 'cause you were like a dream _  
_For every night I say a prayer, _  
_well, I swear you are the answer _  
_You're an angel, you're an angel, you're an angel _ ("Angel" by Leona Lewis)

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Europe´s most wanted Part 2/2  
Author: Dancing Star  
Crossover: PSI Factor / Sue Thomas FBEye / Castle  
Pairing: Connor / Lindsay, Jack / Sue, Rick / Kate  
Rating: 12  
Category: AU, Romance, Humor  
Triple Crossover: After the wedding of their mother ends in tragedy, Lindsay, Kate, Sue and their "men" follow their mom on a Mediterranean cruise.  
Notes: Have a nice summer! It´s time for my annual FanFiction- Summer- Break and my next story will be published on August 17th , 2013. Take care!

**E****urope**´s most wanted Part 2

Three days after leaving Monaco, the ship reached Napoli in southern Italy. It was early morning and the air was still cool, when the ship reached the rather quiet harbor. Some gulls circled around the ship and screamed loudly.  
Connor, Lindsay, Jack, Sue, Rick and Kate were already on deck to view the still sleeping city.  
"Italy is great. There is the best ice cream and the best bread I have ever tasted", Connor told them. "Have you ever been in Italy?", Lindsay asked.  
"Once. It was my college graduation trip", he replied, "Back then I was in Rome." He thought it was a pity that Rome wasn´t on his list this time. The ship had passed the Italian capital in the very early hours of this day.  
"I think it's incredibly fitting that you´re interested in the Italian cuisine," Rick said. He stood between Lindsay and Sue and his arms brotherly rested on their shoulders. As they knew him, he was planning an activity for today. And they shouldn´t be disappointed, because suddenly he said: "I have booked a cooking class for all of us," Rick gave them about five seconds to think about it, "Cooking in Napoli. Sounds great, hm?"  
The ship anchored at a stone bridge and they disembarked. They were relieved that Clara now came with them, after she hadn´t left the ship during their stay in Tenerife, Barcelona and Monaco. A minibus picked up the participants of the cooking class and took them to a villa, which stood on a mountain on the outskirts of the city. The kitchen of the villa offered a perfect view over Napoli.  
In this lesson they learned, how to prepare the best lasagna in the world and they even would have lobster. Connor, Lindsay, Sue and Jack made a team and Rick, Kate, Clara, and a woman who had traveled from Germany also did. Kate was shocked, when she should prepare the lobster. She hesitated and reached for the lobster and put it in a pot with cooking water. "Sorry", Kate said and then turned around to Rick. He looked at her in disbelieving: "Did you just apologize to the lobster?"  
At the end of the cooking class they sat in the elegant residential area of the villa and enjoyed their lasagna, while they admired the view. After a little more than two hours, the lesson was already over and the minibus dropped them off in the city center. Lindsay asked Sue, Kate and her mother if they wanted to stroll through the city with her. In the evening, Lindsay complained she had indeed found a beautiful dress on this shopping trip, but it was labeled completely wrong. "This is on purpose," Kate said, "In Italy and France clothing is closely tailored."  
They went to dinner and then sat down on the terrace deck. It was a cool night, but the stars were shining from the sky, while the giant cruise ship plowed through the dark ocean, further south.  
"It's very nice here," Sue said. She was a little worried because Clara went back to her cabin immediately after dinner.  
"Yes, I am very happy we are all here," Rick raised his champagne glass. They all sat on large wicker chairs and were still waiting for Connor, who had gone to fetch a glass of champagne for Lindsay. She wanted to come with him, but he insisted on going alone.  
"When I think that I would have almost asked Peter to come along, then...", Lindsay stopped when she heard a noise behind her: It was Connor and he stood with their champagne glasses already too close to their furniture, as that he couldn´t have heard.  
"Is that true?", He asked, "You actually wanted to invite Peter?"  
"Yes, but ...", she got up, "He had plans for the weekend of my mothers´ wedding."  
The others listened in silence to this conversation. Rick and Kate were sitting close together and didn´t dare to interrupt. Also, Sue and Jack didn´t dare to interfere in this discussion. They all pondered if they should get up and go inside, but fortunately Lindsay and Connor took this decision, when Connor put down the champagne glasses on a table and followed Lindsay, who walked now frantically across the deck.  
"I can´t believe that I'm only here because my dear colleague and best friend already had weekend plans", Connor actually sounded very stunned. Lindsay shook her head as she walked past the deserted pool and had wrapped her arms around her body because of the cold wind.  
"It´s not like that," she said and shook her head again, but in principle she knew he was right: She had only asked Connor because Peter had already been busy.  
"I'm disappointed," Connor was too honest, "When you asked me if I come with you to the wedding of your mother, I thought it means something," he paused, "You know, in my family has it a meaning when you take someone...", And then he stopped, because he suddenly realized he was wrong. "Oh, forget it." He turned on his heel, and wanted to go back to his friends.  
"What?", Lindsay asked. She also turned around so she could follow him, "If you do what?"  
"If you introduce someone, who means something to you, to your family!"  
Lindsay was completely surprised by this confession. She hadn´t known.  
"I didn´t know you..."  
"I'm sorry," he finally said, "You should have asked Peter." With that, he finally went away, leaving her alone on the deck.

The three-day trip to Venice on the other side of Italy's coast seemed to take an eternity ti her: Not only her mother had still locked herself in her cabin, now Connor also did. The worst part was that he was avoiding her every time they met. One day after lunch, Lindsay was sitting alone on the deck, watching the waves on the Mediterranean Sea. Kate sat beside her on a chair and both remain silent. Kate finally pushed some of her hair which unruly danced in the wind out of her face. "I know you don´t want to hear this," she said, "But what you did was pretty nasty."  
"And that is just out of your mouth," Lindsay muttered.  
"I admit Castle is my colleague. He´s immature, cocky, impulsive, and if he´s even close to the center of attention he takes off completely, but I really like him", Kate admitted," He has a great sense of humor. He makes me laugh... He's always there for me and he always takes good care of his friends." Kate realized she smiled when she was talking about Rick. "The fact that Connor likes you too, can´t be overlooked... Our family is not easy, you know," she took a sip from the Cappuchino cup, she had brought, "After our mother decided to take this cruise and Castle enabled us to travel after her, Connor wouldn´t have to come along. But Connor stayed. I wonder why?" The last question Kate rather directed to her almost-sister. She wasn´t a little surprised that Lindsay didn´t answer.  
"Well, you should talk to him," Kate suggested and got up with her cappuccino in her hand, "If you still need a moral support you know where to find me. I´m at the leisure deck, doing some mini golf with Jack, Sue and Rick.

None of them had ever been to Venice, but it was true this was one of the most beautiful cities. After their arrival Jack wanted to know from Sue her knee was fine, so they could take a long walk. Sue nodded. Her fall at a club in Monaco was six days ago and she felt fine, so she agreed.  
Lindsay also tried to start a conversation with Connor, but he still avoided her. Finally, she had enough: She followed him to his cabin, where he was about to get his camera for the shore excursion and before the door was shut behind him, she entered the room. "All right, we need to talk!", Lindsay sounded very upset and frustrated at the same time.  
Connor checked if he had pushed a memory chip into the camera. "About what?", He tried to stay calm, "About the people we would prefer on this trip?"  
"You'll probably never forgive me, huh?"  
"No." He put his camera in the designated pocket.  
"Connor, you have no idea when it is better to lie."  
"Thanks, but I prefer to stick to the truth. You should try, too", he suggested, Lindsay still didn´t understand why he was so angry. Was Kate right at the end and he...? She had to find out.  
"Well, the truth is...", she paused for a second, "The truth is that I wanted to ask Peter, because it would bother me a little less if he refused, as if..." Lindsay took a deep breath, "As if you had refused. My problem is that I love you very much and I couldn´t bear if you´d say we should stay just friends." She was curious to see his reaction.  
"Is that true?", Connor put the camera down on a table and then took a step toward her. Lindsay nodded wordlessly and she took a deep breath. "I am very glad you have accompanied me to the wedding of my mother... and to this trip. I…", her voice trembled as she noticed he came closer, put his arm around her and kissed her then. She was surprised because she had never expected Connor was jeopardizing everything. Lindsay gasped, as their kiss became deeper and she put her arms around his neck, as if to never let him go again.  
"We must go," he told her then.  
"Where?"  
"I wanted to take a trip with Rick and Kate," he said, reaching for his camera again, "Are you coming with me?" Connor was relieved when she nodded and so they went to the pier, where Kate and Rick were eagerly waiting for them.  
"Nice to see you. You're finally there," Rick said to them, as Connor and Lindsay were leaving the ship, holding hands, "Where are Sue and Jack?"  
Lindsay shrugged her shoulders helplessly. She also had no idea where her sister and Jack were. But Connor did: "The two have left the ship one hour ago. But I don´t know exactly where they are."

After the walk, Jack "kidnapped" Sue for a gondola ride through the canals of the city and then brought her to a lookout point, which was located on a hill high above Venice.  
"It's beautiful," Sue murmured, as Jack sat down beside her. For a second there was almost awkward silence then both began to talk simultaneously: "Well, I... I gotta... No, you first." They laughed.  
"I am delighted we finally can spend some time together without your sisters," Jack said to her, "In this club in Monaco..." He took a moment to think about how he should tell her. "When the French man talked to you at the bar I was quite jealous," he finally confessed.  
"Really?", Sue asked, "I haven´t understand a word of what he said." She remembered he had told her before the start of the cruise, he had bought a phrasebook for each country they would travel on this trip.  
"And when you got hurt then, I was... I was pretty worried about you", he decided to let the cat out of the bag now, "Sue, I love you."  
"What?," she looked confused because she didn´t know if he really said that.  
"I love you, and..."  
"Oh, I understand, I wasn´t quite sure if you've finally said it."  
Jack was surprised. Had she used the word finally? Was she happy about this?  
That she kissed him and put her arms around his torso, it was confirmation enough. They stayed on the lookout point until late afternoon and talked about themselves, their future and now and then they even kissed. Sue told him she would still need a moment until she got used to the new situation. Finally, the sun above their heads was a little weaker. "What time is it?", Sue asked.  
"4:30 p.m. Why do you ask?"  
"The ship leaves port at 4:45 p.m.!"  
When he heard this, cold sweat was on his forehead. How should they reach the port within 15 minutes, crossing the city, if they had already been more than an hour on foot to get to this place?  
"We must hurry. Otherwise we´ll miss the ship", Jack yelled and grabbed Sue's hand," I have an idea." He pulled her with him to an Italian ice cream shop, next to them parked a red Vespa. The key was stuck, so he jumped on the seat of the little scooter, Sue sat directly behind him and put her arms around his torso. The owner of the Vespa (he owned the ice cream shop as well) began to yell when he heard that the engine of his vehicle was started.  
"Scusa! Scusa!", Jack called to the man and passed a flower stall with the red Vespa. The Italian now came running out of his ice cream shop and even threw a plate behind them.  
"What if the police gets us?", Sue asked anxiously, while Jack drove the stolen vehicle between cars and other scooters. Her hair fluttered in the wind.  
"The police has to do better this time," he replied. In Italy, the siesta was also very popular. "This scooter isn´t very fast, unfortunately," he apologized and then slowed to a red light.  
"I suspected that a Vespa isn´t as fast as a Ferrari," Sue said, "We can´t do it." On her watch the deposition time of their ship came closer. Together with the other vehicles, the red scooter began to move and raced past water channels, which were frequented by gondolas. Jack was able to accelerate the motorcycle again and they even drove through another red light. Because of the detailed road signs he at least had no trouble finding the harbor. They arrived at the port, when the captain checked the passenger list at the entrance. So no one is forgotten: Every guest had to sign into a list, if he or she left the ship.  
Jack parked the red Vespa right next to the pier and grabbed Sue's hand and they hurried together to Connor, Lindsay, Rick and Kate who were still waiting for them after returning from their own trip. "Where have you been?", Lindsay asked, "And who owns this scooter?"  
"Don´t worry," Jack said, out of breath, "This is what we will tell you later."

That same evening, at midnight, Connor was leaving Lindsay's cabin to get something to drink at the board restaurant. Almost simultaneously the door to Sue´s cabin opened. Jack stepped out. "What are you doing here so late at night?", Connor wanted to know.  
"I could ask you the same question." They agreed they wouldn´t have seen each other, if someone asked. They were well aware of what the other one did at such late hours in the cabin of a woman...

After three days on the Mediterranean sea they reached Athens in Greece. This was their last stop before they would fly back home. Before the ship would reach the port, it took half an hour and then the cruise ship plowed through the sea, past steep cliffs dotted with small houses.  
"It's boring," Kate complained, as she stood on deck with Rick.  
"It looks beautiful," Rick corrected her and turned to the cliffs. The small houses on the tops of the mountains looked like snow.  
"I've never been to Greece."  
"Then at least you have fun," Kate speculated, "And if you like it so much, you can come back soon."  
"No. I'm not one of those people who constantly travel to the same places", he told her and Kate had to admit she had already suspected. When Rick said this, Clara, who was accompanied by Lindsay and Sue also came on deck. She seemed to be happy they finally arrived in Greece after she had hidden for the rest of the journey in her cabin. "Look who rose from the dead," Kate whispered, but of course Clara had heard. "What did you say?", she made her question sound as if she didn´t understand what Kate had said.  
Now Kate defiantly crossed her arms over her chest. "You book this expensive cruise and then don´t even get out of your cabin! I tell you, there are other ways to spend the money my father!"  
"What are you talking about?", Lindsay asked indignantly.  
"From you I don´t expect any sympathy. You haven´t lost your father."  
"James perhaps wasn´t my real father, but he was the partner of my mother. Don´t think his death wasn´t as shock for me."  
They watched as Kate shook her head and ran away.

_And there's no remedy for memory, _  
_your face is like a melody _  
_It will not leave my head _  
_Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine _  
_But I wish I was dead _  
_Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise _  
_No one compares to you _  
_I'm scared that you will not be waiting on the other side _  
_Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise _  
_No one compares to you _  
_I'm scared that you will not be waiting on the other side _ ("Dark Paradise" by Lana Del Rey)

It took almost until evening, until Rick had found her aboard the giant cruise liner: she stood alone at the stern of the ship and watched as the propeller rested in the sea. All the other guests had left the ship and seeing the sights of Athens. As far as she knew, even Lindsay and Sue were out with Connor and Jack. Kate was one of the few people who remained on the ship.  
Wordlessly, Rick closed the door behind her and leaned against the railing beside her. It was cold. So he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. She still didn´t say a single word.  
"You don´t want to fall into the sea, right?" He knew it wasn´t very clever, but he felt he needed to say something.  
"No. I had to think a little..."  
"I see," Rick nodded, "About the things you said today?"  
Kate hadn´t even expected that he nodded. There were ugly things she had said. Clara didn´t deserve this. And how could she blame Lindsay and Sue, they wouldn´t grieve because James wasn´t their real father?  
"Listen, I don´t think Clara has booked this trip because she wanted to spend the money of your father as soon as possible," Rick said quietly to her, "I think she's here because she met James on a Mediterranean Cruise... Maybe this is her way of saying goodbye. She is here... and still grieving."  
Kate listened to his words. That he had suddenly used a less formal tone, she didn´t t seem to bother.  
"Did you know Clara has donated her portion of the inheritance to a charity?", Rick said and Kate looked surprised. Then she turned her eyes back to the dark, motionless water of the harbor.  
"I didn´t mean it like this..." she shook her head, her brown curls danced lightly over her shoulders.  
"I know... But the problem is Lindsay, Sue and Clara don´t know. They are your family. You should apologize to them", he suggested. Kate nodded and took a step closer to him. She felt that he had no idea how to react, as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks," she muttered at last, raised her head and noticed how he brushed a stray of hair from her face. She was captured by his eyes and waited for what would happen. They were together for 21 days without a break because she took him to Ohio for the wedding of her father, he sponsored her and her family this cruise. Kate knew he was happy to be with her and was almost surprised he hadn´t managed to drive her crazy yet. Or that he hadn´t tried to get closer to her. This moment, however, was unique. She held her breath, as they were only inches apart and they finally gently kissed. Her hands began to tremble, and her fingers clung to him as she kissed him back. Kate was dizzy when their kiss became more passionate and he finally let her go. "It's pretty cold out here," he muttered, it almost sounded like an apology. Rick took her to her cabin and was about to leave her there, when she suddenly held out her hand. "Don´t go," she whispered, pulling him into her cabin.

On the same night Connor wanted to sneak out of Lindsay cabin again to get a drink in the board restaurant. He again met Jack, who apparently had the same thought and came from Sue's cabin. "No comment," Connor apologized and at this moment, the door to Kate's cabin opened, which was right next to the cabin of Sue. Rick came out. He wore a black robe. Now they were really surprised. "What's wrong?", Rick asked, puzzled, "Did I miss something?"  
"No," Jack and Connor shook their heads at the same time and everyone went back to the cabin, from which he had come.

Rick awoke the next morning first. Kate's head rested on his shoulder and with her left hand she held his right hand. After they got up, they went to breakfast together. As they entered the dining room, Kate recalled the fact she still had to apologize to her almost-stepmother. "Go on," Rick whispered to her and pushed her gently to the table where Clara and the rest of her family sat. Rick wished them a good morning. Then he sat down at the table. His stomach growled and he was terribly hungry. But he could wait a few minutes.  
"I want to apologize to you," Kate began, "What I said to you, Clara, I didn´t mean it. I was so mad and... ", she noticed that tears were runing down her face," I was so angry and... I miss my dad."  
"But I also do, dear," Clara said, getting up and hugged Kate. They were both crying and with a satisfied look on his face Rick looked at the scene.  
"Thanks," Lindsay whispered to him, as the two women were still sobbing. Rick lowered his head, he accepted the compliment.

The remaining days in Greece were wonderful: of all stays they had enjoyed during their cruise the stay in Athens was the longest and they used the three days to see the city. They ate gyros, bought souvenirs and took many photos for their friends at home.  
Kate was almost a little disappointed when they had to fly back to America. At the airport Rick took her suitcase and placed it for her on the baggage carousel. They were standing so close to each other that they could kiss. "I suppose, soon I can read in some tabloid: Author Richard Castle kisses his muse at the airport," he laughed. But he hoped no one would find out so fast, because otherwise they would have to stop their cooperation. "I love you, writer," Kate murmured and kissed him once more on the cheek, then asked him if it was better.  
"If we are at home again, I absolutely need vacation," Connor complained, "You and your family aren´t easy." He saw how Lindsay rolled her eyes and then reached for his hand. At the check in- desk they all had to show their passports. Sue noticed her mother was missing.  
"Where's Mom?", she asked, turning around again. She saw that Clara was standing in front of a huge glass wall and looked out. Sue walked slowly to her mother and then put her hands on her shoulders. "Mom, we have to check in", Sue recalled.  
"Yes, of course. I´m ready."  
"That was a really nice vacation."  
"Yes, you´re right," Clara agreed. She turned to Lindsay and Kate. Both stood with their partners at the counter and discussed who should sit next to the window of the airplane. Connor and Lindsay won the dispute, because Rick and Kate had already been sitting next to the window on the flight to La Palma and because they were happy about their victory, Lindsay hugged Connor fiercely then she kissed him.  
"Coming to Europe was worth it, don´t you think?", Clara wanted to know and her daughter nodded when they walked to the check in- desk.  
It was a nice vacation and she was glad that her daughters had found the same on this cruise, what she had found once. The Mediterranean cruise remembered Clara to the love of her life: How she had met him and she would never forget James.

Fin


End file.
